Understanding Media, Art and Design
3
29th Aug 2011
30th Sep 2011
Understanding Media, Art and Design, a.k.a the Intro, consists of two parts. The first part is targeted for all new MA students in the Department of Media (DoM) and obligatory for all MA-students. The first part starts on Monday 29th August taking two weeks daily (Mon-Fri) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The second part of UMD Intro is targeted to MA in New Media (MAiN) and Sound in New Media (SOiN) students. It is obligatory for all Media Lab MA students and highly recommended for Minors and Exchange students. The second part starts on Tuesday 20th September taking 8 mornings in two weeks (Tue-Fri 9-12 a.m.).
In between the two parts of Intro there is a workshop week with dedicated program for MAiN and SOiN students. The course descriptions of the workshops can be found on the courses' own pages (please refer to Noppa and WebOodi).
During the 2nd part of the Intro each new Media Lab student will have a personal study planning discussion with her/his tutor teacher in order to confirm her/his personal study plan (HOPS).
The Intro is designed for your orientation in the following aspects:
• in helping your personal study planning
• in introducing DoM and Media Lab staff, teaching and research
• in adapting you to our community, especially your fellow students
• in learning about our working environment: facilities, hardware and software
• in understanding the general learning objectives of your MA studies
• in getting an overview of the whole Aalto University - at least a bit
More info »
Advanced Audio Production Work
3
29th Aug 2011
25th May 2012
This "course" is actually not a course in the conventional meaning of the word, but your option to get credits from any sound, audio or music project you are doing inside or even outside the Lab, as long as it relates to new media and/or digital design. The scale of the work - as well as the schedule - is up to you. In order to get credited, you need to present the project in at least some kind of audible form, and write a report of 2-4 A4 pages about the work. what was the plan, how did you realise it and what did you learn.
If you need tutoring or advise, please don't hesitate to contact Antti Ikonen or Marianne Decoster-Taivalkoski during the process. "
More info »
Tieteellinen kirjoittaminen maisteriopiskelijoille
8th Sep 2011
1st Dec 2011
Suomeksi.
Torstaisin klo 16.15-18.45 (pajakerrat klo 16.15-19.30)
(Englanninkielisessä toteutuksessa - Writing for Master´s students - voi olla jotain eriäväisyyttä aikataulussa.)
8.9.
15.9.
22.9.
29.9.
6.10.
13.10. Tekstipaja
27.10. Tekstipaja
3.11.
10.11.
17.11. Tekstipaja
24.11. Tekstipaja
1.12.
More info »
Writing for Master´s students
8th Sep 2011
1st Dec 2011
On Thursdays 16.15-18.45 (workshops 16.15-19.30)
The schedule is preliminary - might change slightly!
8.9.
15.9.
22.9.
29.9.
6.10.
13.10. Workshop
27.10. Workshop
3.11.
10.11.
17.11. Workshop
24.11. Workshop
1.12.
More info »
Composing with Data Flow Programming (max 12)
3
12th Sep 2011
28th Oct 2011
The course is taking place two times during the fall 2011 term. The first one (12th - 16th Sept) is targeted to 1st year Sound MA students, and the second one (24th - 28th Oct) for 1st year MA in New Media students.
This course is project-based, and at the end of the course students will submit and present their group or individual projects.
Learning Outcomes Composing with Pure Data workshop aims to familiarize students with the language of Pure Data and the uses of computers in music in general. Pure Data is an open source environment, written and maintained by Miller Puckette and includes the work of many developers, making the whole package very much a community effort.
Content Workshop introduces a data-flow programming (visual programing) language for audio and multimedia, which has been a recent pioneering application in the contemporary art field. Course gives opportunity to anyone to learn how to process and organize sounds, mapping physical interaction, video processing and networking possibilities by using Pure Data environment. This is a project-based course; at the end of the course students will submit and present their group or individual projects.
Assessment Methods and Criteria The course consists of lectures, exercises and group/individual project work.
More info »
Understanding Media, Art and Design (part 2/MediaLab)
19th Sep 2011
19th Sep 2011
This is a separate entry in the database to collect separate feedback, look at 20085 Understanding Media, Art and Design for full description.
More info »
Wearable Electronics (w. Media Factory / MUU ry)
6
19th Sep 2011
5th Dec 2011
Introduction
The course focuses on the use of wearable computing and electronics in art. This broad and varied field provides new opportunities for artistic work and for the creation of multi-disciplinary art projects embracing media art, costume design, fashion design and engineering, as well as other fields.
Electronics and sensors allow artists to create interactive smart garments that produce sound and images in reaction to movement. They sense and communicate with the environment or react to it, and send online messages. As the term ‘wearable’ suggests, such artworks are carried by the user, thereby interacting with the environment. The participants will use the Arduino development platform and learn about various wireless technologies. The course curriculum covers the special skills required for the creation of independent works. Participants will create small workshop projects together before embarking on their own project. Some examples of wearable computers and smart garments are presented in the course blog at http://etsi.tumblr.com.
Teachers in charge
Tomi Dufva and Jukka Hautamäki
Other teachers
Raija Jokinen, Marja Uusitalo, Markku Nousiainen
Visiting lecturers
Meg Grant, Laura Beloff
Prerequisites
Previous experience with Arduino and embedded electronics is recommended (applies only to students from Media Lab).
Technical platforms
Arduino, LilyPad, Xbee, gps, and basic electronics. Options: Processing, Max/MSP
http://mediafactory.aalto.fi/?page_id=1008
More info »
Audiovisual studio: AV Basics
3
20th Sep 2011
31st Jan 2012
Students will learn basics of video and audio work by doing
small-scale video productions individually and in groups. There
will be some basic instructions to some common software and
equipment but the emphasis of the course is on content, production
techniques and workflows.
More info »
Audiovisual studio: AV Projects
1
20th Sep 2011
8th May 2012
AV Projects is a course where students' own audiovisual projects are discussed and tutored.
Assessment criteria: project work done; written report and learning diary; presence on meetings. Assessment: pass/fail
More info »
Sound Seminar
4
26th Sep 2011
7th May 2012
Sound Seminar is a weekly meeting forum for Sound MA students, taking place on Mondays a.m. In addition to supporting the Master's Thesis seminar, the aim is to share and discuss students' ongoing and future sound projects, smaller or bigger, both inside and outside the Media Lab. Other MA students from DoM and TAIK are also welcome to join: if you are working as a composer or sound designer in a study project or outside the school, if you are preparing, doing or completing your Master’s Thesis on sound or music - or if you are just interested in familiarising yourself with the "sound scene", e.g. in order to find a sound person for your own project, the Sound Seminar is for you.
As learning outcomes, the students will gain practical knowledge about sound-related production practices, tools, problem framing/ solving and Master’s Thesis projects. Students will become aware of the sound scene and sound community of the Lab, including the connections to other Art Universities and other collaborating institutions.
Typically a seminar session includes a round of short (ca. 5-10 min) informal presentations of students' sound-related projects and activities. Audio(visual) presentations are also welcome within the time limit, but usually referring to the actual content will also do.
Interesting guests are occassionally invited to visit the Seminar, and students are welcome to suggest potential visitors, too. Sound related books, journals and papers are also presented and discussed.
In addition to the Seminar meetings, a related forum in TaiK Intranet Onni (Sound SIG) provides an on-line dimension to the seminar discussions and presentations.
More info »
Audio Technology Exam
1
26th Sep 2011
26th Sep 2011
The exam is designed to control that the Sound MA and SOIN minor students have acquired decent amount of Bachelor's level audio technology knowledge from their previous studies or profession. As learning outcomes the student will be able to reflect her/his amount of knowledge in the field of audio technology.
Assessment criteria : 1-5 according to percentage of correct answers. In case of very weak result some extra self-learning on the topic will be included in the personal study plan (HOPS).
The reading materials for the exam are delivered ca. two weeks in advance before the exam date.
More info »
Study Project: hel.fi (with the Graphic Design Programme)
5
3rd Oct 2011
12th Mar 2012
The aim of the study project is to re-design the City of Helsinki information services (hel.fi). It is a joint study project between Media Lab and Graphic Design MA programmes. The study project also includes one week workshop on information architecture and user interface design with Paul Kahn (http://mlab.taik.fi/people/showperson?pid=2237), where you will start building your concepts.
This is a great opportunity to do a "real-life" project, collaborate with fellow graphic design students, and come up with a winning concept for the City of Helsinki!
Do note that the second part of the study project will happen in Spring 2012 and will be about developing the winning team's proposal. The Fall part covers 5 credits, and the Spring part 5 or more, depending on the situation
More info »
Coaching Creativity
3
11th Oct 2011
21st Oct 2011
NOTE: due to schedule changes there will be some extra contact hours within the course in addition to those listed below. The dates and times will be announced when the course starts. Please address any schedule-related questions to Asta Raami and keep Anna Arsniva and Rasmus Vuori cc:d (all addresses firstname.lastname@aalto.fi)
More info »
Introduction to Sound Design and Music (ISDM)
1
31st Oct 2011
18th Nov 2011
The course provides a general understanding of sound design in the context of new media. The topics handled within the course are Our sonic environment, Designing sounds, The dimensions of music, Introduction to MIDI, Narration with sound, Non-linearity in sound, Game audio, Sonic branding and Sound art. In addition to these, students may bring up other topics through their own short presentations prepared and held during the course.
The course consists of lectures with discussion and sound material. Small exercises will be done during the sessions and some assignments will need to be completed before the last session. Individual/ small group introduction to audio software can be arranged on request.
A summary of the contents of the lectures plus a wide selection of related online readings is given to the students after each lecture.
As learning outcomes the student learns to observe the sonic dimension of both actual and virtual environments and draw conclusions according to what s/he hears. The student learns the basics of MIDI standard both in theory and practice. The student has general understanding of sound design in the context of new media. On more general level the aim of the course is to enhance awarness of sounds and to provide tools for analyzing them, plus to encourage the students to be more demanding in their work when dealing with sound design in new media.
PLEASE NOTE:
In order to get full credit points, a preliminary assignment needs to be completed ca 4 weeks before the course starts. The assignment is a one minute long unedited and unprocessed field recording from the Helsinki Baltic Herring Fair, taking place at Kauppatori market place between 2-8 October 2011. The recording can be done with any equipment, either from one spot or while moving around, but the only allowed editing is to cut the recording from the beginning and/or end (i.e. not in the middle!) to match the given length (60 seconds). More info about the Fair is available at http://www.portofhelsinki.fi/port_of_helsinki/whats_new/baltic_herring_fair
Any questions related to the assignment should be addressed to the teacher via email.
In order to pass the course one must complete the course assignments and shouldn’t miss more than 20% of the sessions.
Since all lectures are having a different topic, it is highly recommended to be present in all of them. The credit points are given as follows
1. Participating 80% of the sessions = 1 ECTS
2. Participating in 80% of the sessions + completing the course assignments gives 4 ECTS in total
The grading is based on submitting the course assignments in time and the artistic and academic quality of the assignments.
More info »
Contenporary Design Discourse (with Dept. of Design)
12
31st Oct 2011
16th Dec 2011
Workload
Full module 320 hours = 12 study points
Partial module, incl. lectures and literature: 80 hrs, 3 study points
Contact 80 hrs
Lectures 20 hrs
Workshops 30 hrs
Team-based tutorial sessions 30 hrs
Individual and team-based non-contact studies 240 hrs
Learning diaries 20 hrs
Literature and essays 60 hrs
Assignment and production 160 hrs
Learning Outcomes
Learning objectives are:
- knowledge of contemporary,mostly European design
- ability to situate design into wider intellectual and research discourse
- understanding of the social organization of this design discourse
- ability to build design on the discourse
Partial module:
- knowledge of contemporary, mostly European design
- ability to situate design into wider intellectual and research discourse
- understanding of the social organization of this design discourse
Content This class aims to introduce students to contemporary design discourse, understood as a social and material practice, not only intellectual. The class looks mostly a European debate on design and its role in society. In addition, the class introduces students to some of the recent new forms of design, including things like the new markets for one-offs and prototypes, design galleries, and other actors that shape design.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
1. Literature and essay
- reading contemporary texts on design
- writing five 2-page essays in different styles
2. Lectures
- design in second modernity
- current design discourse in Italy, the Netherlands, England, Germany and Scandinavia
- the notion of engagement in design
- the borderlines: art, design, research
- social organizations of contemporary design
3. Learning diaries
- after lectures, Web research
4. Assignment and production
5. Workshops
- students who take the full module have to apply their learning to a design task during weeks 3-6 of the module
6. Team tutoring sessions
Study Material
Literature:
Overall:
Branzi, Andrea 1988. Learning from Milan. Design and the Second Modernity. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Miller, R. Craig, Penny Sparke, and Catherine McDermott (Eds.) European Design Since 1985. Shaping the New Century. Denver and London: Denver Art Museum and Merrell Publishers.
Beaver, Jacob, Tobie Kerridge and Sarah Pennington (Eds.) 2009. Material Beliefs. London: Goldsmiths, Interaction Research Studio.
di Lucchio, Loredana and Antonella Penati (Eds.) Vitamins for Design. disegno industriale/industrial design, vol. 7, issue 42-43, Rome
Lovell, Sophie 2009. Limited Edition. Prototypes, One-Offs and Design Art Furniture. Basel: Birkhäuser.
More info »
Serious games seminar
5
31st Oct 2011
7th Dec 2011
Course main web page: https://wiki.aalto.fi/display/seriousgames/Home
Serious games are games that have also other objectives than pure entertainment. They can be used, for example, in education, healthcare and military. The seminar looks at designing serious games using a practice-based approach. In the seminar, both theory and practical design are used to tackle the question of game-based learning. In the course, groups design and develop a paper-based prototype of a learning game. In addition, students write an essay based on literature on serious games.
More info »
Bodily Interaction
3
1st Nov 2011
18th Nov 2011
Outcomes: Bodily Interaction course aims to make students familiar with and develop gesture-based Natural User Interfaces (NUI) in various interactive application platforms for sonic, musical, 2D or 3D interfaces.
Content: Bodily Interaction course aims to introduce embodied interaction possibilities with a specific focus on natural human gestures and actions. The course is a platform for the tools and environment of an emerging interface paradigm called NUI (Natural User Interface). Through a set of exercise tasks, students will be able to offer experimental solutions to NUI. The course will offer alternative possibilities to experiment with various interactive programming platforms, where body itself is involved as a control element for the system. Bodily Interaction is a project-based course where students will present their group or individual works at end of the course.
Workload: This course is a hands-on course where the instructor presents lecture sessions and the students complete exercise tasks and will present and deliver their group/individual projects in the end.
Assessment Methods and Criteria: 80% attendance and completed exercise tasks. Students can also continue or combine their projects with other Media Lab courses. The students can work either on their own projects or offer solutions to ongoing design projects at Media Lab.
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge on one of the interactive platforms (Processing, Pure Data, Quartz Composer or Unity) is necessary.
More info »
Multitouch Interaction (Study Project II)
3
22nd Nov 2011
14th Dec 2011
The course focuses on using multi-touch interaction to create engaging experiences using different media elements. Multiple devices will be used, with an emphasis on mobile phones/tablets and the iOS platform. Other devices and platforms will also be discussed.
The main development environment for the course will consist of openFrameworks/C++ with Xcode. Students should have previously attended the Software Studies for Media Designers course, or demonstrate having acquired equivalent skills. Students are required to plan, develop, document and present a project at the end of the course.
More info »
Designing Interactions for MoA 2012 (MoAIxD)
3
14th Dec 2011
26th Apr 2012
How to design creative digital interactions with a measurable impact? We are going to create smart and innovative tools – simple, yet effective concepts – that enhance the experience and visibility of MoA 2012:
- Digital tools enabling the interaction between exhibition visitors and its makers (using computer kiosks or mobile devices, possibly including indoor location services and near-field communication),
- web offerings that make MoA known around the world and enable people to experience the festival without being in Helsinki,
- creative use of existing media channels to spread the message and content of MoA,
- and any other means to support the strategic goals of the MoA festival.
This hands-on course starts from a design brief with strategic goals set by the MoA team and leads through a concept and prototyping phase to working solutions for prime time during the MoA festival in May 2012. The outcome will be means to facilitate interactions between MoA graduates and the audience. Students are familiarised with the workflow in a real- world project, where the client’s predefined goals and the designer’s creativity go hand in hand.
Requirements: None, except for the commitment to participate in the course from start to end. Students from all Aalto schools and departments are invited to participate. This project course will be based on a mix of people with conceptual, visual and technical skills – with the goal of knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary team work.
More info »
Interactive Cinema
3
9th Jan 2012
13th Jan 2012
This is a self-contained workshop about the 'interactive moving image'
involving the design and actual production of a prototype in which
interactivity and video imagery are combined. Lectures and case-studies at
the beginning of the workshop will provide background about the ways in which
moving images have been, and could be, made interactive - and why.
Interactive television, mobile phones, iPods, DVDs, computers, websites,
‘live’ performance and cinematic display will all be mentioned as possible
means of showing interactive moving imagery. Different types of content such
as fiction, advertising, music-related, artistic, educational and documentary
will be considered.
Students will be expected to present a concept for an interactive film in
response to the techniques and ideas shown, and several of these will
actually be produced as functional 'demos'. Depending on the class size it
will be possible to work as an individual or in small groups. Video cameras
will be used to create footage which will be digitised and prepared and
subsequently combined with interactivity. Adobe Director will be recommended,
demonstrated and fully supported as a suitable authoring tool, although
students are welcome to use other software such as Flash, DVD Studio Pro or
Quartz Composer. Interaction technology might involve audio input,
sensors/Arduino, keyboard, fiducial markers, or video imaging.
More info »
Building interfaces for audiovisual performance
3
9th Jan 2012
13th Jan 2012
Derek Holzer says: The idea of this workshop is to create an electro-acoustic sound instrument over 5 days. To do this, I will teach you a bit about programming the Arduino (but not a lot!) and we will focus on the electronics and mechanics necessary to create movement, and from this movement how to create sound. I will also show you a basic (and cheap!) contact microphone pickup system with a 1/2 Watt audio amplifier to amplify the sounds within your instrument.
You will need to bring objects to use in your construction. Think about things which can be moved, vibrated or struck to produce sound. Hollow shapes, strings, springs, boxes, tubes, metal objects, etc etc. Objects may work in strange combinations as well. If you want a larger speaker than the 8-10cm ones I will provide, please salvage one from an old boombox or clock radio. The objects you bring will shape the instrument you create, so check the second hand shops, junk stores and flea markets beforehand!
Prior knowledge of Processing, Pure Data or Max/MSP is recommended but not necessary. The more you know how to program, the more complex your instrument can become.
What this is NOT:
1) A circuit-bending workshop. We won’t be hacking found electronics, but building simple circuits of our own.
2) A detailed programming workshop. I teach very basic input/output with the Arduino in Processing, nothing more. If you want to incorporate your fancy Bluetooth gadgets and custom GPS shields, you will be responsible for getting them to work based on your own skills.
More info »
Introduction to Western Classical Music
3
16th Jan 2012
3rd Feb 2012
Lectures with lots of recorded musical examples - a crash course about how western classical music has evolved to its present forms. Music is handled in the context of European culture and history in general, covering years from Pythagoras to present times, ending with a discussion about the future. The thematic lectures are given by Antti Ikonen and visiting experts from e.g. Sibelius Academy. For the full list of topics and visitors, please scroll down to the course schedule.
Complementary short presentations on various classical music phenomena are given by older Sound MA students and alumni, and the course participants will prepare similar kind of talks in small groups.
Introducing all the "classical music" that is not played on Classic FM, plus specialities like the history of electronic music, the course is giving a broader picture of occidental music culture to art & design students, who typically have a good all-round knowledge about visual culture, architechture, craft etc. but not necessarily about music.
In terms of learning outcomes, the student gets familiar with styles, periods and basic terminology of classical music and milestones in the evolution of music. The student can observe today’s trends of music from different angles, being able to place heard music to its appropriate context.
The course is possible to complete by attending the lectures only (1 cp). The group work assignment is worth 2 cp and an optional essay is worth 1 cp.
The course is open to all TAIK students in addition to Media Lab students and Minor subject students, and also students from other Aalto schools in terms of their personal study plans (non-TAIK students may need a JOO-contract, please consult your tutor for details). Others than Media Lab MA-students (e.g. doctoral students) might be credited differently according to their study program.
More info »
Designing Interaction with Electronics
3
16th Jan 2012
7th May 2012
The course provides a journey of design process from developing concepts to prototyping interactions. The course is organized by 3 hours workshops and lectures on every Monday except workshop weeks. The students will learn how to build prototypes using software programming and electronic assembling. A theme will be given, students will work on developing concepts within groups and planning for prototypes. Actual prototyping experience consists of two phases. The students will be asked to present their work in progress after the first phase. Feedback from guests and other audiences should be applied to the second. The final prototypes will be presented in Demoday. The Demoday is a degree show for public organized by Media Lab every semester.
Course materials - http://mlab.taik.fi/paja/
Results from previous years - http://mlab.taik.fi/paja/?cat=45
For your inspiration what you can do after the course:
iPhone Siri with Arduino - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZSZNsmdROU
Arduino controlled by Android device - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro9hwADz8Vw
More info »
Site and Subjective Writing
3
16th Jan 2012
7th May 2012
The general purpose of the course is to introduce to students strategies for writing their MA thesis and other texts led from and based on situated and subjective practice. Topics to be introduced: fieldwork narratives; confessional tales; auto-ethnography/auto-archaeology; media fieldnotes; artists and designers' writing; site-writing; performative writing; spatial thinking; writing about practice; writing about process; writing about roles.
The students will be introduced to different site & subjective writing methods and examples, with short writing exercises as part of the learning process based on current work they are doing.
Lectures, individual exercise tasks, reading chapters of reference texts, and peer discussion/review of other students’ works. 26 hrs contact time. Teaching, lectures and writing in English.
As a practicing artist-organiser, and doctoral researcher in Media department, teacher Andrew Paterson will lecture & lead the learning process, including recent experiences and stories.
Bibliography & References: http://orgcult.wikidot.com/ssw-reference
Course URL: http://orgcult.wikidot.com/ssw2
More info »
Media Design Research seminar 1
3
31st Jan 2012
15th May 2012
(dates updated 12.1.12)
This course MedDesRes 1 is obligatory for Media Lab MA students / DOM MA students. Alternatively you can take an examination on a public examination day
1. la 28.4.2012 klo 10-14
2. la 16.6.2012 klo 10-14
Reading material: The Semantic Turn (by Klaus Krippendorff)
The last day to register for the test is 10 days before the day, by giving back the examination envelope to Anna Arsniva.
More info »
Stereographic Imaging
3
6th Feb 2012
10th Feb 2012
Course taught by designer & artist Franz Fischnaller (of F.A.B.R.I.CATORS)
More info »
Sound Design for Interactive Commodities
3
6th Feb 2012
10th Feb 2012
Increasingly, physical artifacts of everyday use are endowed with information and communication technologies. These "interactive commodities" provide exciting new possibilities for sonic interaction design: The visual modality is often restricted by size or the peripheral use of such artifacts, and most importantly, they are physical objects with a complex, narrative and procedural identity which suggests the use of sound beyond simple beeps.
In this workshop we will explore the interaction with artifacts, their sounds and the possible relationships between them. We will investigate narrative sound design strategies inspired from highly evolved fields like film and game sound, learning to use sound to provide interpretative clues and to leverage the expressive potential of sound. These strategies then will be applied for developing contextualized scenarios and prototypes of sounding interactive commodities.
The week includes introduction to theory and concepts, group work in teams and presentation of results in the end of the week. Handouts and links are given during the course, as well as suggestions for reading and listening.
In order to get credited, the student must be present and complete the assignment(s) given during the workshop.
More info »
Mobile Experience Workshop
3
14th Feb 2012
9th May 2012
Mobile Experience Workshop: Re-processing objects, expanding digital language.
The Mobile Experience Workshop is a joint project with Nokia, with visiting experts lecturing and sharing their knowledge and experience.
After the workshop selected projects will be developed further during the spring term and there will be a final presentation in May.
More info »
Audiovisual studio: Advanced editing
3
14th Feb 2012
18th Apr 2012
The basic philosophy of the course Digital video editing is that you learn best by doing, getting feedback from your work and comparing your work to the works of others.
The students work independently (or in pairs/groups; depending on number of students) with different exercises dealing with: 1) rhythm, music and creative editing 2) action editing 3) dialogue editing 4) scene analysis and 5) atmosphere/editing a story. The exercises consist mainly of editing different film materials, for example scenes from a fiction film, advertisement spots etc.
Each lecture is divided into two sections: 1) presentation and feedback of the exercise given on the previous lecture and 2) theory, instructions and ideas concerning the next exercise.
For beginners or more advanced level.
Prerequisites : Audiovisual studio: AV Basics or similar knowledge on video editing.
More info »
City Sets - Discover the Design
3
5th Mar 2012
9th Mar 2012
ART MEDIA DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE COURSE
for masters of arts and doctoral students in Aalto University Organized by TAIK Department of Media: Marja Seliger & Mika ‘Lumi* Tuomola
Credits 3–5 ECTS Grading scale 1-5 Status of the Course Advanced Level of the Course Master of Arts
Teaching period
Spring 2012 periods 3–4: Workshop, 5–9 March, 3 ECTS Optional: Independent essay assignment, 9–26 March (1 ECT) Optional: International seminar presentation, 23–24 August (1 ECT)
Course teachers
Lecturers (full time): Marja Seliger & Mika Tuomola Assistant teachers: Palash Mukhopadhyay (technical production) & DA student X (course and production coordination); Visiting lecturers on internet documentary, urban design, urban screens and cities in movies.
1 Motivations for organizing the course
The multidisciplinary course introduces visual ethnographic methods to be used for scientific research and for artistic productions enforcing collaborative creative work in which various skills and ways of seeing the world are needed. The study of an urban environment explores architecture, engineering and design to discover economical, cultural and technical aspects and values embedded in the city of Helsinki.
The motivation of the course leaders, Mika Tuomola and Marja Seliger, is based on the successful pilot course arranged in November 2010 for the students of the Departments of Architecture and Media. Students’ excellent work and evaluation reinforced the importance of this kind of multidisciplinary courses within Aalto University. Helsinki WDC year 2012 offers a platform for presentation and dissemination the research and creative work produced in Aalto University.
The Nov 2010 course description for the Aalto University Departments of Architecture and Media students: http://mlab.taik.fi/studies/courses/course?id=1842
The student presentations were a part of the City Sets seminar:
http://citysets.media.taik.fi/
COURSE STRUCTURE 2012
The course follows the structure of the City Sets pilot workshop arranged in November 2010: The students working in pairs were given a certain route in Helsinki, which they observed and documented, gathering pictorial material of design elements in the city, both intentional and unintentional design, identities and stories embedded in an urban environment. Based on their discoveries and photo observation, they created a multiple point-of-view narrative depicting some characteristics from their route.
Learning outcomes!
A student learns
• to apply visual ethnographic methods to study urban environment by collecting, documenting, analyzing and presenting pictorial material and symbols of a city, its art and design, unintentional and engineered features, as well as multidimensional human/citizen/user/consumer behavior.
• to present and communicate such material by using basic story structures and own point of view via the collected images and videos (online).
• multidisciplinary team work and presentation skills. • knowledge of visual ethnography and cinematic narrative, especially from a
multiple point-of-view. • essay writing and applying design research methods to reflect on
urbanization and other "wicked problems" as well as the effects of design and visual culture.
2
Content
The course begins with a one-week intensive workshop and continues with students’ individual working period.
The workshop week includes lectures, tutoring and fieldwork in small groups. Starting with visual ethnographic methods to collect pictorial material, the results of students’ group work are visual multi-point-of-view narratives about Helsinki presented and evaluated at the end of the week.
The goal is that the visual narratives created during the course and saved on the City Sets Media Player will be presented to public in the context of WDC Helsinki 2012 events such as the City Sets - Multimodal Local Identities seminar in Media Center Lume, 23-24 August 2012.
Students’ individual work means writing an essay to report the fieldwork and the discoveries about design in Helsinki from the point of view of urban planning, design or inhabitants. Secondly, students are encouraged to reflect on urbanization as global phenomena and a "wicked problem” and the possibilities of design to influence on urban life.
Course schedule
Monday, 5 March 2012
9–12:00 Tutorials by !Marja Seliger: “Visual methods in urban ethnography” and M! ika Tuomola: "Narrative structural methods for the stories of the city" 13–17:00 Briefing, multidisciplinary group formulation and camera equipment training for the fieldwork: !“Routes of Helsinki” !
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
9-13:00 Groups plan their shooting themes and timetable in locations and shoot preliminary footage 13-15:00 Visiting lectures 15-18:00 Shooting plans check-up group by group (Marja Seliger, Mika Tuomola and visiting lecturers)
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Fieldwork: tutored shooting day of the material, !editing and material transfer online may start
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Post-production: tutored editing, written description and transfer of the pictorial material to the required digital formats online, possibly additional shooting by selected group members !
Friday, 9 March 2012
9-12:00 Groups prepare their presentations 13-15:30 Group presentations and review to all teachers 16-17:00 WS learning outcomes and essay assignment
3
Individual work, 9–26 March 2012
Independent essay writing about the workshop process, its outcomes and reflections Course evaluation, 30 April 2012 International seminar presentation, 23–24 August 2012
Assessment methods and criteria
Active workshop participation and discussion: 20% The workshop production exercise and presentation: 50% The own independent essay on the process: 30%
Estimated workload
Lectures 8 h Tutored fieldwork and group work 40 h Presentation 8 h Individual work: Documenting the workshop outcome 25 h
Optional reading and essay writing 30 h Optional presentation in international seminar in August 25 h Total: 80–135 h (3–5 ECT)
The 2012 workshop results are planned to a part of the City Sets - Discover the Design public presentations: http://crucible.mlog.taik.fi/productions/city-sets/
References and reading
Preliminary Literature
Krippendorf, Klaus (2006). The Semantic Turn; A New Foundation for Design. New York: Taylor & Franci
Seliger, Marja & Tuomola, Mika Lumi 2011. City Sets – Narrating Visual Urban Identities. SIEF (Societé Internationale d ́Ethnologie et de Folklore) 2011 Conference Proceedings, 17-21 April 2011, SIEF: Lisbon. http://www.nomadit.co.uk/sief/sief2011/panels.php5?PanelID=789
Seliger, Marja 2008. Visual Rhetoric in Outdoor Advertising. Published in David Durling et al. 2009: UNDISCIPLINED! Proceedings of the Design Research Society Conference 2008. Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK. http://digitalcommons.shu.ac.uk/drs2008/session10/track_d/3
Seliger, Marja 2008. KATUJEN GALLERIAT. Ulkomainonnan visuaalista retoriikkaa Helsingissä vuosina 2004–2005. Helsinki: Taideteollinen korkeakoulu.
Thomas, Maureen & Penz, Francois 2003. Architectures of Illusion. From Motion Pictures to Navigable Interactive Environments. Bristol: Intellect.
Penz, Francois and Lu, Andong (ed.) 2011.Urban Cinematics – Understanding Urban Phenomena through the Moving Image. Intellect.
Tuomola, Mika 1999. Drama in the Digital Domain:Commedia dell'Arte,Characterisation, Collaboration and Computers. Digital Creativity Vol. 10, N:o 3, pp. 167-179, Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger.
4 Media Productions
At Hand 2010. Tikka, Heidi (artist), Media Facades. Helsinki, 27 Aug - 24 Sept 2010. http://crucible.mlog.taik.fi/productions/at-hand/
Berlin: Symphony of a Great City ('Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt') 1927. Ruttman, W. (director), Mayer, C. and Freund, K., Deutche Vereins Film, Germany.
City Sets Media Player 2010/2011. Korpilahti, Teemu (lead developer); Tuomola, Mika; Seliger, Marja; Mukhopadhyay, Pal ash and Vihervuori, Virpi. http://mlab.taik.fi/citysetsmedia/ Dark City 1998. Proyas, Alex (director), Mystery Clock Cinema etc., USA.
Gamer 2009. Neveldine, Mark & Taylor, Brian (directors).Lionsgate etc., USA.
(The) Girl Chewing Gum 1976. Smith, J. (director), independent film, UK.
(The) Matrix 1999. Waschowski, Andy & Lana (directors). Warner Bros. Pictures etc., USA.
Media Facades Festival 2010. http://www.mediafacades.eu/, http://www.m- cult.org/projects/media-facades-festival-2010
Out My Window 2011. Cizek, Katarina (director), National Film Board of Canada. http://highrise.nfb.ca
Run Lola Run ('Lola rennt') 1998. Tykwer,Tom (director), X Filme Creative Pool etc., Germany.
SlidingDoors 1998. Howitt, Peter (director), Intermedia Films etc, UK.
Sydänkierroksella 2006/2007. Tuomola, M. L. (director), Saarinen, L. E. and Nurminen, M. J., Cruci ble Studio, Helsinki University of Art and Design and YLE, Finland. http://www.youtube.com/user/ CrucibleStudio#p/u/12/XeD896dlpiw
Syntymiä 2003. Tikka, Heidi (artist), Kiasma, Nov 3-23, 2003, Helsinki. Timecode 2000. Figgis, Mike (director). Screen Gems etc., USA. Truman Show 1998. Weir, Peter (director). Paramount Pictures etc., USA. (The) Wizard of Oz 1939. Fleming, Victor (director). MGM etc., USA.
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Study project III: Experimental Radio Art
3
5th Mar 2012
4th May 2012
The aim of the workshop is to discover the possibilities of radio as a platform for sonic arts. During the week the students will create and realise radiophonic works which will screened on Friday. The students can work individually or in small teams. After the workshop the students can still continue refining their projects for the public broadcasting in DREAM HOUSE.
Silakka Radio Show - Listening to experimental sounds at Lähiradio 100,3 MHz FM Helsinki, one of two community real radio stations in Finland, produces a 24 hour radio art day, DREAM HOUSE, during 6pm May 4 - 6pm May 5, 2012. The workshop participants participate in the day with the works produced during the workshop (or later).
We will study historical sound works for radio medium as well as other new transmission arts, trying to interpret them newly and finally create new works for the DREAM HOUSE.
Silakka Radio Show: http://silakkaradio.fi/
Lähiradio 100,3 MHz FM: http://www.kansanradioliitto.fi/
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Introduction to Media Art and Culture
3
13th Mar 2012
30th Mar 2012
Lister, Martin (ed.) 2003. New Media: A Critical Introduction. London & New York: Routledge
Armstrong, Helen (ed.) 2009. Graphic Design Theory. Readings from the Field. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
+ additional material and resources associated with each course session.
Examination alternative: both books. Any examination day ok.
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Multimedia Authoring
3
12th Apr 2012
11th May 2012
The course is focused on the generative aspects of multimedia design and the authoring process, interaction design and the control of media elements in interactive projects. Students will experiment with a broad range of media elements with an emphasis on controlling media behavior through code.
The main development environment for the course will be openFrameworks (http://www.openframeworks.cc/). Students should have previously attended the Software Studies for Media Designers course, or demonstrate having acquired equivalent skills. Students are required to plan, develop, document and present a project at the end of the course.
Recommended bibliography:
Noble, J., 2009. Programming Interactivity: A Designer’s Guide to Processing, Arduino, and Openframeworks, O’Reilly Media.
Course blog:
http://mlab.taik.fi/mediacode/
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Coaching Creativity (suomeksi, in Finnish only)
3
17th Apr 2012
11th May 2012
Kurssilla käydään läpi ihmisen ajattelun kaksoissysteemimalli (intuitiivinen ja rationaalinen), sekä niiden eroavaisuudet. Lisäksi tutustutaan erilaisiin valliitseviin ja vaihtoehtoisiin malleihin intuitiosta ja sen roolista. Mallien lisäksi kurssilla keskitytään ymmärtämään ja soveltamaan erilaisia intuitiivisen ajattelun tapoja ja menetelmiä omaan ajatteluun. Kurssi koostuu luentosarjasta ja erillisistä pienryhmätapaamisista.
Luennot, ryhmäkeskustelut, itsenäiset tehtävät, harjoituspäiväkirja sekä harjoitukset pienryhmätapaamisissa (10 hlö/ryhmä, 3 ryhmää)
Oppimistavoitteet: Intuition roolin ja soveltamisen ymmärtäminen ihmisen ajattelussa tiedollisella tasolla. Oman intuitiivisen ajattelun hahmottaminen ja tietoinen integrointi osaksi omaa ajatteluprosessia ja asiantuntijuutta. Kyky käsitteellistää ja kuvata sanallisesti omaa intuitiivisen ajattelun tuotoksia muille.
Kevään suomenkielisen kurssin ajankohta on 17.4. - 11.5. ti-ke-to-pe klo 9-12, mutta ei viikolla 18 (vappuviikko).
Huomatkaa myös: Lisäksi, keskiviikkona 18.4. kurssi korvataan Prof. Surelin vierailuluennolla (Media Factory klo 17-19) ja perjantaina Prof. Surelin työpajalla. Tällöin myös torstain kurssi jää väliin, koska perjantain työpaja on koko päivän mittainen.
Oppimateriaali: Ilmoitetaan myöhemmin (Radin, Sheldrake, Orloff, Vaughan, jne)
Kohderyhmä: Kaikki Aalto-yliopiston opiskelijat (etusija maisterivaiheen opiskelijolla). Kurssille ei edellytetä aikaisempia opintoja, mutta etusijalla ovat maisterivaiheen opiskelijat.
https://into.aalto.fi/display/fimedia/Opetus -->
"Etusija kurssille pääsemisessä on aina koulutusohjelman omilla tutkinto-opiskelijoilla. Seuraavana järjestyksessä tulevat muut erilaisten hakumenettelyjen kautta opiskeluoikeuden koulutusohjelmaan saaneet opiskelijat (sivuaineopiskelijat, vaihto-opiskelijat ja non-degree students eli ylimääräiset opiskelijat). Mikäli kurssilla on tämän jälkeen vapaita paikkoja, opiskelijoita hyväksytään seuraavassa järjestyksessä: 1. Median laitoksen opiskelijat, 2. Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulun opiskelijat, 3. Aalto-yliopiston opiskelijat, 4. Muut.
Koulutusohjelmien tutkintoa suorittavat opiskelijat hyväksytään kursseille ensisijaisesti ilmoittautumisjärjestyksessä. Mikäli ilmoittautuneita on enemmän kuin kurssille on mahdollista ottaa opiskelijoita, voidaan hyväksymisperusteena käyttää myös opiskelijoiden opintojen etenemiseen tai opintosuunnitelmiin liittyviä perusteita. Päätökset poikkeusmenettelystä tekee aina koulutusohjelman johtaja."
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Digital Workshop Basics
23rd Apr 2012
27th Apr 2012
This course is a prerequisite for Massimo Menichinelli's Digital Workshop studio.
This course provides a hands-on introduction to Fablab and electronics studio facilities: basic workflow for working with each of the Fablab machines (software as well as operating digital fabrication machinery). Designs will be provided by instructors to produce a simple object with each of the machines - the focus is on gaining skills to operate the machines independently rather than on design. For electronics studio the following will be covered: how oscilloscopes, signal generators, multimeters work, designing a simple circuit and making our own PCB and then solder, which embedded systems can be provided for by the electronics studio.
Machine and laboratory safety and space upkeep instruction will also be part of the course.
The course form the basis of understanding in practice the capabilities as well as limitations of each of the Fablab machines. It will serve as basis for being able to realistically come up with more complex designs integrating use of many Fablab machines during the Digital Fabrication Studio course or for other projects made at the Fablab independently or as part of other courses.
The course starts 23.4. 17-20.
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Digital Fabrication Studio
2nd May 2012
22nd May 2012
Prerequisite: Digital Workshop Basics 25437
Starts 2.5.
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Digital Fabrication Studio
2
2nd May 2012
22nd May 2012
The course provides a general understanding on how to design and manufacture products and prototypes in a Fab Lab, using digital fabrication technologies and understanding their features and limits.
Students will learn how information shapes design, manufacturing and collaboration processes and artifacts in a Fab Lab. They will learn how to digitally fabricate a project or how to digitally modify an existing project; students will also learn how to manage, embed and retrieve information about a project. Projects and prototypes developed and manufactured in this course will not be interactive.
The course consists of lectures and a group project to be digitally fabricated, be it a project already designed but not yet realized or be it the modification of an existing project. Every lecture (3 hours) includes time for testing the technologies covered (1 hour) and for developing part of the group project and for receiving feedback about it (1 hour).
Lectures:
May 2nd 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: Fabbing and Fab Labs: history, concepts, fields of application and business models for the projects. Project: brainstorming for the development of a concept and business model for the group projects.
May 3rd 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: Projects and information: how to manage, embed and retrieve information about projects from databases, websites and the object itself. Project: further development of the concept using some of the information management software covered and development of the first sketches.
May 7th 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: Software: how to design a project for digital fabrication with 2D and 3D software. Project: development of the first blueprints from the sketches using the software covered in the lecture.
May 8th 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: Laser Cutting: materials, finishes and features of 2D digital fabrication. Practice: exercise with laser cutting and further development of the group projects.
May 14th 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: CNC Milling: materials, finishes and features of sculpting 3D objects with subtractive manufacturing. Practice: exercise with cnc milling and further development of the group projects.
May 15th 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: 3D Printing / 3D scanning: from atoms to bits and back. Practice: exercise with 3D scanning, 3D printing and further development of the group projects.
May 21st 2012, 17:00-20:00: Lecture: Molding and Casting: materials, finishes and processes for making small series of digitally fabricated objects. Practice: exercise with molding and casting and further development of the group projects.
May 22nd 2012, 17:00-20:00: Final presentation: Presentation of the group projects (physical object, blueprints and documentation of the manufacturing process). Collaborative discussion: feedback about the projects and the course from everybody.
Recommended bibliography/ further readings:
Douglas, M., & Isherwood, B. (1996). The World of Goods (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Gershenfeld, N. (2000). When Things Start to Think. Holt Paperbacks.
Gershenfeld, N. (2005). FAB: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop--From Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication. Basic Books.
Hudson, J. (2011). Process 2nd Edition: 50 Product Designs from Concept to Manufacture (2nd ed.). Laurence King Publishers.
Sterling, B. (2005). Shaping Things (First Edition.). The MIT Press.
Thompson, R. (2011). Prototyping and low-volume production. London: Thames & Hudson.
Thwaites, T. (2011). The Toaster Project: Or a Heroic Attempt to Build a Simple Electric Appliance from Scratch. Princeton Architectural Press.
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IXI workshop
3
14th May 2012
18th May 2012
The workshop is about code as artistic material, about the joy of creating creative software. The idea is to get familiar with building experimental virtual instruments using various software and programming environments like Pure Data, Processing, Director/Flash, Max/MSP, SuperCollider, Python, etc. for interfacing sound and graphics. The topics include e.g. overview of methods how to transfer data between different applications and examples of real-time multi-user interaction with sound using Open Sound Control (OSC). In terms of practical hands on work the workshop is flexible to take a direction according to the background and interests of the participants. The focus varies from sound synthesis to installations or gestural controllers and the aim is to show the fun and power of graphical and textual programming.
As learning outcomes the student will learn new ways of interfacing with sound, the current protocols used in open source art projects, and basic setups for mapping sensor data to sound or graphical data.
Assessment criteria : Pass/ fail. In order to get credited the student must complete the course assignment (a practical hands-on work).
Readings, examples and open code on the course website (to be launched ca one week before the workshop starts - meanwhile please visit the ixi website mentioned above).
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New Media Exam
16th Jun 2012
16th Jun 2012
The obligatory New Media Exam will happen on public examination day 16.6. Sign-up DL 1.6. Sign-up happens by fillig in the examination envelope and bringing it for Anna Arsniva not later than 1.6. Envelopes from Anna or from Study Affairs office. https://into.aalto.fi/display/enmasterarts/General+Exam+Dates
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Design Practice and Thinking -CANCELLED
3
NOTE: the course will not be given anymore in Spring 2012! Check it out it Autumn!
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Game Project
6
In spring 2012, the game project is run only as a free games related project. If you are interested in making a game, please contact miikka.junnila@aalto.fi
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Understanding games
6
Understanding games is a book exam about games, aiming at developing understanding what kind of phenomena games are, and getting familiar with some perspectives that can be used to study games.
The books to read are following:
Tavinor, G. The Art of Video Games. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
And two from the following list:
• Juul, J. Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds. The MIT Press, 2005.
• King, G. & Krzywinska, T. Tomb Raiders & Space Invaders. I.B. Taurus, 2006.
• Perron, B. (ed.), Horror Video Games: Essays on the Fusion of Fear and Play. McFarland, 2009.
• Perron, B. & Wolf, J. P. (eds.), The Video Game Theory Reader 2. Routledge, 2009.
• Sigart, M. The Ethics of Computer Games. The MIT Press, 2009.
The exam can be taken on the public examination days in spring 2012. Contact miikka.junnila@aalto.fi
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Game Research Project
6
The course aims to develop research skill in context of game design and research. The student does independent research work, and the results are reported in an essay. The teacher should agree on the topic. Assessment criteria: ability to use introduced concepts, showing understanding of the topic area, the clarity of expression, the use of references, the flow the argument, and the clarity of language. Please contact miikka.junnila@aalto.fi
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